It's no secret I'm a fan of this guy, and I was really high on him coming through Gut Check (especially because he's a vet, which is exactly what I've been saying Gut Check should be doing now for months), but I don't see a world champion in him. Sorry, Christian. You just don't meet enough of my criteria to convince me you'll actually be a success as one.

Main event performers to me are required to meet a minimum of two of the following three markers:

Jeff Hardy, for example, only has two of those three (adequate in-ring ability, great look/character), but still passes for a main evener because of it. To me, York only really meets one, maybe one and a half of these — adequate in-ring ability and somewhat great look/character, though that's highly debatable.

Maybe i'm way off the marker, but I just don't see it, though I do like his aggressive outlook. If more performers had that mentality, we'd have a fuck ton more stars than we do today.

Thoughts?

Killjoy

12-11-2012 03:21 PM

He's persistent. And he's not afraid to speak his mind. Though he's really nice about it. He's doing something right given he's barely been around a month and has butted head's with Jeff Hardy and Robert Roode. He's got experience but in my book that haircut may want to go. He looks like a shorter Tyler Reks with a bleach job. I'm pretty confident soon enough he'll going up against Rob Van Dam and such. To him, it should be a matter of showing he can get it done in the ring. He already has the ambition for it.

This Is My Name Thank You

12-11-2012 03:23 PM

Ya never know until given a full chance and a good push from the back. I never would of thought Hardy would ever become a champion and he has. In both companies nonetheless. It all depends on how bad this guy wants it. How far he is willing to go to make him the star he wishes to be. Given the right character along with a gimmick he can work with he has potential.

His look isn't all that bad. I just don't like the dreads he is sporting. It makes him unique looking sure, but when I see dreads I like them to look clean. Not dirty/grungy like they are. Build wise he has it. I think his build is similar to AJ Styles' build. His build is passable.

Now, his mic skills are there. He isn't great as he isn't anything horrible. If given time, I am sure he could show us his skills on the mic. As of now, they could possibly hold him back. But hey, if AJ was champion with his average mic skills, anything is possible.

In ring skills are there for him. I think he is the better of the Gut Check contestants to be on the show. He is passable in the ring for sure. So this can also help his career out too.

As for being world champion, ya never truly know. I could see it. I wouldn't but it now though. If given the chance to shine then maybe one day York's dream might come true.

UrUp

12-11-2012 03:26 PM

He's no World Champion.

I believe his place is in the X Division and the tag team division as a heel and if he were to win either title, I'd prefer it to be the tag titles.

Quote:

To me, York only really meets one, maybe one and a half of these — adequate in-ring ability and somewhat great look/character, though that's highly debatable.

I agree with your requirements of a world champion and your evalutation of him.

He kind of has a Conan the Barbarian look about him, but he's not the size of a guy like Batista. I don't think York/Batista's mic skills would be all that different, but I think do because of Batista's size/physique his mic skills just seemed to come off better.

So York is kind of in a weird position were he's ripped, but he's not a monster or power house, but yet not small enough to be crafty.

Slash-LN

12-11-2012 04:10 PM

When I looked at your criteria I instantly though the York has two of those.
He has the in ring skill and he has a good look. However I agree with you that his look/character is debatable.
He doesn't have the "it" factor. Nothing about him screams world champion.
I like the guy and believe he has talent. I'm not denying that. I just don't see him as a legit world champion.

Papa Pillman

12-11-2012 04:56 PM

I am an admitted long time fan of York, but given his age, it seems that building himself up to world champion level at this point in his career does seem a little far-fetched. Even people like myself who are familiar with him and are fans of his from the past, we remember him as a tag specialist. I will say though that he has made good showings for himself as a singles guy so far in this new run with TNA, and the added muscle that wasn't there when he was younger doesn't hurt.

I'd love to see York get a legitimate chance to prove his worth, and thus far it seems like TNA intends to give him that chance. He has alot of talent, so there's no telling for sure how far up the card he could rise. I would not be shocked at all to see York hold TNA gold by the end of 2013, I just doubt that a TNA world title run lies in his future.

Either way, he's a good addition to the roster and the attitude he has is the right one to have. As long as a wrestler is willing to work and be happy with his placement in the company and try hard to advance up the card without taking on a sense of entitlement where he feels like he should be pushed further than the bookers do, aspirations are never a bad thing.

midgensa

12-11-2012 05:12 PM

There is something about Christian York that I just love. Every time I see him I pay attention and watch closely.

But there is something about Christian York I can't stand too ... and I don't know what it is ... which of course hurts him.

I just can't see him as serious World Champion material. Maybe the kind of guy who gets a shot or two here or there and is believable, but I don't think the strap will ever go on this guy.

But, like I said ... every time I see him ... I at least for a second think he could be a top flight talent. So maybe it is in there somewhere.

The Dragon Saga

12-11-2012 05:17 PM

I like Christian York and really admire his promotional work considering everyday he seems to be conducting another interview or appearing at an indy show promoting not only himself but the TNA brand, yet I can't help but feel hes getting a little bit too far ahead of himself. He has the right idea - there's that phrase, "If you're not in this business to be the best then you don't belong in it," - but get a feud going to begin with and then start speaking on your aspirations of becoming a World Heavyweight Champion someday. It'd benefit him more considering the more fans see of him, the more they'll support him.

Jack-Hammer

12-11-2012 05:18 PM

Stranger things have happened. From what I've seen of York in his few TNA appearances thus far, he seems to be pretty solid inside the ring but that's just not enough to get it done these days.

He has a decent look and build, nothing overly great but he looks to be in great shape. He doesn't seem to have much of a character though and I'm not at all sold on his personality or charisma.

As has also been mentioned, York's pretty old for someone that MIGHT just be starting to hit his stride. In the grand scheme of life, 35 isn't old at all but it is when you consider that he's been wrestling since he was 19 and, thus far, doesn't really have anything to show for it. His age doesn't automatically knock him out of becoming a champ or anything, it's just unusual to see guys in his age range who've really done so little make it to the top. Off the top of my head, Mark Henry is really the only wrestler I can think of that's done what York wants to do: someone that's had a long career of mediocrity with no major happenings to show for it but suddenly comes on strong and becomes World Champion.

There are also a lot of other wrestlers on the TNA roster right now, and for the forseeable future, that I think most people would prefer to see as World Champion or as contenders. These days, the most common names I hear people mention in conjunction with the TNA WHC, aside from Jeff Hardy, include Bobby Roode, James Storm, AJ Styles, Austin Aries, Matt Morgan, Bully Ray, Christopher Daniels and maybe a few others. Except for Morgan, all of those wrestlers have either become stars in TNA by being long term successes, have been major players in WWE or some combination of both. Many of those, and I'm probably leaving a few out, have been wrestlers who've been established in TNA for a really long time. While York is in the same age range as most of them, he's a nobody because he's only now starting to get noticed. On top of all that, overall, those guys are simply much better than Christian York. All that, plus his age, makes me think that York won't be TNA World Heavyweight Champion unless TNA up and decides to give him a brief run at some point in the hopes of generating a feel good moment.

DX Mols

12-11-2012 05:42 PM

Of all the Gut Check TNA peeps, this guy has the best potential. I honestly forgot about all the rest of those losers until they came back for Open Check Fight Gut Night.

That one chick is hideous. Then there's those 2 other stiffs who fought each other. And we all know where Wes Brisco is going (and hopefully it's back to Promo School 101).

This dude could work his way up through the midcard and eventually could be the TNA Champion...but then again if Matt Morgan hasn't reached the mountaintop yet, how can Christian York ever expect to?